Sarutobi's Mango Mania

"You're not going to get carried away are you?" Old man Sarutobi asked. Taro had just finished setting up the Sarutobi's Mango Mania fruit stand, placing the last red mango in the front bin. "We want folks to buy the mangos not watch a fool perform parlor tricks." Taro laughed, "gramps you are too old fashioned. The people want entertainment in the modern era! Something that will grab their attention." He began pulling away the empty crates from the fruit stand, orientating them and a few chairs into some form of small stage. "The sales will speak for themselves, gramps. Will you put this on?" Taro presented his grandfather with a tight fitted red cowl. "Had mom make these last night." His grandfather looked at it with suspicion. "Does that have ears sewn on it?" He rubbed his face, exhausted with the proposed idea. "Don't worry I've got one too.. Mom thinks its cute! You'll be helping me out gramps." Leery eyed his grandfather asked, "What about your father? What does he think of this?
"Oof I think I forgot to mention it. Alright!...Remember to keep the right tempo." Gramps snapped back, "I know how to bang a drum!"

The Hoshikagure market square was busseling. Vendors were making their pitches, kids were running and screaming through the bright colored tents with excitement, and the smell of fresh grilled food was heavy in the air. In the corner of the square a small crowd gathered to the beat of a drum in front of Sarutobi's Mango Mania fruit stand. Off to the side, a grumpy looking old man with a monkey eared cowl banged a drum with a slow rhythm.  Squatting on a make shift stage, facing away from the crowd was Taro in a similar monkey eared cowl. After enough people gathered Taro knew it was time.

With a quick twist, Taro faced the crowd, jazzed his hands out next to his face, making a loud hoot like that of monkey and crossed his eyes. The young children among the crowd laughed and some of the adults rolled their eyes and groaned. The drum beat began to speed up as Taro made the seal of the ram. 2 clones popped into existence with a silly pose, and in tandem they began to cartwheel. Left, right, left, right, and center. The original Taro pulled a red mango from within his shirt and began doing crowd work, presenting the mango as if it were a prized jewel or precious stone. One clone placed a chair atop the crates while the other brought a handful of mangos waiting patiently.

The original Taro came back to center stage and took two more mangos from his clone and began to juggle. The clones quickly began applauding with enthusiasm. The crowd looked on, and the drums began to beat faster. Taro continued to juggle stepping up onto the chair with one foot on the backing. Oohs and aahs from the crowd. A fourth mango was tossed into the mix and while Taro juggled a second chair, flipped upside-down, was fitted atop the first. Before long Taro was balanced on the feet of the chair juggling 5 mangos. Now the crowd, growing by the second, was getting pumped, cheering and hollering. Finally, the drum beat slowed, bringing tension to the performance. The two clones, one sitting on the shoulders of the other, brought the third and final chair up to Taro. Carefully fitting it as the final topper to this chair tower.
Taro, focused on the five mangos, carefully maneuvered himself to the top of the tower. He was higher than any vendors tent and just short of the second story windows of the nearby buildings, but as far as he cared he was at the top of the world. He loved it. The clones cried out to the crowd, cupping their hands, inviting them to do the same. The drums once again beat at the higher tempo, signaling the finale of the performance.

"This is it," Taro thought. He'd been practicing this jutsu since he was a young boy. The times he practiced this move back at the farm he'd only been able to hit 4 mangos of the 5, but this time he was confident. "Hope y'all are hungry for mangos!"

With a final juggle Taro tossed the five mangos away from him over the crowd in a wide arc. As some in the crowd prepared to catch the fruit, Taro back flipped off the tower, pulling a kunai. "Glass Shard Swing!" He howled, aiming the jutsu arc at the five mangos. Hundreds of tiny shards of air sliced through the fruit, raining samples all across the crowd. The people cheered. Those who cupped their hands were gifted fresh samples of Sarutobi's mangos and a sense of joy. Taro landed gracefully and took a bow with both clones presenting the original. Applause rippled through the crowd and customers began lining up to the Mango Mania fruit stand. Before long the mangos were sold out, not a single one was left.

Taro finally waved to the last couple that bought the last set of mangos and began deconstructing the fruit stand. With a grin he gave his grandfather a look, "seemed like a pretty good idea."
"Yeah yeah yeah," his grandfather conceded, quickly locking the cash box.

"Next I'm not wearing the monkey hat again."


Word count: 900
Claiming 900 wc towards training of Glass Shard Swing to rank B & 9 stat points to speed.

Approved